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april_does_feral_sometimes 's review for:
Babbitt
by Sinclair Lewis
'Babbitt' by Sinclair Lewis has dated vocabulary which was common to Babbitt's class of Midwestern businessmen of the 1920's, but there is nothing dated about the book's themes! Frankly, it is shocking that I can see almost no change of attitudes in the social class Lewis is focusing on in the novel even though this book was written in 1922.
From the Barnes and Noble edition's book cover:
"In the small midwestern city of Zenith, George Babbitt seems to have it all: a successful real-estate business, a devoted wife, three children, and a house with all the modern conveniences. Yet, dissatisfied and lonely, he’s begun to question the conformity, consumerism, and competitiveness of his conservative, and ultimately cultureless middle-class community. His despairing sense that something, many things are missing from his life leads him into a flirtation with liberal politics and a fling with an attractive and seemingly "bohemian” widow. But he soon finds that his attempts at rebellion may cost more than he is willing to pay. "
Readers should note Lewis writes from the viewpoint of his characters, slyly exposing their ugly social-class prejudices and the casual cruelties of their tunnel vision. Of course, these people see nothing wrong in how they live or what they believe. Everyone they associate themselves with enforces their beliefs. The main characters live inside an echo chamber of parroted slogans.They trod a narrow path of judgemental righteousness dependent on a lockstepped white middle-class conservative conventionality. There is obvious racism, anti-Jewish rhetoric, and a scorn of the working-class and their efforts to form unions. Women are dull-eyed married matrons or "fast" in their eyes. Elite-university educations are suspicious since those possessing such an education might mean a lack of support in the self-serving sensibilities of these American Chamber of Commerce/Protestant church members. People who come back from trips to Europe are seen as possibly infected with European-style male 'effeminacy' - an interest in abnormal Art or Music. However, there is complete obliviousness of their own class's prejudices and faults.
The shallow conformity and social group-think is enforced by a threat of shunning and loss of financial opportunities. Successful integration into business group norms is rewarded with respect and inclusion, with invites to mens' clubs.
Will Babbitt climb out of the deep valley of narrow perspectives?
The novel covers the same territory as [b:Appointment in Samarra|126583|Appointment in Samarra|John O'Hara|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320446769l/126583._SY75_.jpg|2555382]. [b:Jude the Obscure|50798|Jude the Obscure|Thomas Hardy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1389403264l/50798._SY75_.jpg|41342119] goes there as well. Being around square cog trying to fit into a square round hole can work - or maybe not. It depends on if one is able to file down those edges of who you really are, gentle reader, and what you are willing to give up to fit. Rewards can be great, or miniscule. Of course, moving from a social class to another social class has often been made impossibly ruinous by involved people. Not to mention the raw evil of using prejudices or power to unjustly destroy people who have the temerity of wanting to leave a group because of the implied criticism that entails.
From the Barnes and Noble edition's book cover:
"In the small midwestern city of Zenith, George Babbitt seems to have it all: a successful real-estate business, a devoted wife, three children, and a house with all the modern conveniences. Yet, dissatisfied and lonely, he’s begun to question the conformity, consumerism, and competitiveness of his conservative, and ultimately cultureless middle-class community. His despairing sense that something, many things are missing from his life leads him into a flirtation with liberal politics and a fling with an attractive and seemingly "bohemian” widow. But he soon finds that his attempts at rebellion may cost more than he is willing to pay. "
Readers should note Lewis writes from the viewpoint of his characters, slyly exposing their ugly social-class prejudices and the casual cruelties of their tunnel vision. Of course, these people see nothing wrong in how they live or what they believe. Everyone they associate themselves with enforces their beliefs. The main characters live inside an echo chamber of parroted slogans.They trod a narrow path of judgemental righteousness dependent on a lockstepped white middle-class conservative conventionality. There is obvious racism, anti-Jewish rhetoric, and a scorn of the working-class and their efforts to form unions. Women are dull-eyed married matrons or "fast" in their eyes. Elite-university educations are suspicious since those possessing such an education might mean a lack of support in the self-serving sensibilities of these American Chamber of Commerce/Protestant church members. People who come back from trips to Europe are seen as possibly infected with European-style male 'effeminacy' - an interest in abnormal Art or Music. However, there is complete obliviousness of their own class's prejudices and faults.
The shallow conformity and social group-think is enforced by a threat of shunning and loss of financial opportunities. Successful integration into business group norms is rewarded with respect and inclusion, with invites to mens' clubs.
Will Babbitt climb out of the deep valley of narrow perspectives?
The novel covers the same territory as [b:Appointment in Samarra|126583|Appointment in Samarra|John O'Hara|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320446769l/126583._SY75_.jpg|2555382]. [b:Jude the Obscure|50798|Jude the Obscure|Thomas Hardy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1389403264l/50798._SY75_.jpg|41342119] goes there as well. Being a